IRVINE, Calif. -
Sophomore Kira Rienecker is 12th and freshman Murphy Nicholson is 13th after Friday's first day of the Big West Multi-Event Championships at UC Irvine as the Aggies try and score some early points for next week's conference track and field title meet.

Rienecker has 2,432 points while Nicholson has 2,120 as both UC Davis competitors try to get into one of the top eight places which would deliver team points heading into next week's meet.

UC Santa Barbara's Barbara Nwaba has 3,648 points to lead the field, holding an advantage over Phylicia Johnson of Long Beach State who has 3,217 after the first four events.

Rienecker scored 718 points in the meet's first event, the 100-meter hurdles, crossing in 15.97 seconds for and her second-highest point total of the day. She added 460 in the high jump and 457 in the shot put before finishing fourth in the 200 for 797 points, both her highest scoring total and placing of the day.

Nicholson, competing in her third heptathlon of the season along with Rienecker, also scored her second-best points total with the hurdles, tallying 586. She aded 491 in the high jump (1.38 meters) and 410 in the shot put before capping the opening day with 633 in the 200.

Jazmine Lewis of UC Riverside has 2,758 and is in eighth place, the final team point-scoring position. Competitors will finish with the long jump, javelin and 800 on Saturday.

The multi-event meet serves as a prelude for the full Big West Championships next weekend. Much of the Aggie track and field teams will make final tuneups on Saturday, crossing the Causeway to compete in the Sacramento State Open.